Buoyant apparel



April 24, 1945. A. SCHOROVSKY BUOYANT APPAREL Filed April 7, 1944 INVENTOR W m wm m .A v Y s B m 9 Patented Apr. 24, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,374,506

BUOYANT APPAREL Agnes Schorovsky, New York, N. Y.

Application April 7, 1944, Serial No. 529,894

1 Claim.

The present invention relates to an improvement in buoyant apparel.

One object thereof has been to provide a combination garment and safety appliance. Commonly known types of so-called life preservers are generally cumbersome and of unsightly appearance so that they are rarely used except in emergencies, A further object of the present invention has been to provide safety apparel which is capable of being designed to have a pleasing appearance and at the same time to embody qualities of buoyancy Which make it an effective life preserver. A further object of the invention is to provide buoyant apparel which can be made out of fabrics, as silk, rayon, cotton, etc.

commonly employed in making bathing suits and other garments but which will have incorpo-,

rated therewith waterproof buoyant elements, so that, even though the fabric is watersoaked, the buoyant elements will retain their buoyancy. A further object of the invention has been to provide safety apparel which may be worn either over or under a bathing suit, or the like, and which will provide in compact form a maximum of additional buoyancy.

One embodiment of my invention is described in the following specification and illustrated in the drawing-appended thereto and in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation;

Figure 2, a rear elevation;

Figure 3, an enlarged fragmentary view in elevation;

Figure 4, a horizontal section on the line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5, a vertical section on the line 5-5 of Figure 3; and

Figure 6, a view in elevation, with portions broken away, of one form of buoyancy element or unit.

Referring to the drawing, buoyancy apparel according to my invention is conveniently embodied in a brassire I, or like garment, or in a girdle 2, or like garment, or both, as indicated in Figures 1 and 2. As shown in Figure 2, the brassiere l is in the form of a band having irregular edge contours and with fullness in portions to conform to body contours. Any suitable fastening device may be employed to secure the brassiere l in position, such for example as the lacing 3. The girdle 2 is also in the form of a band having irregular edge contours and is secured in position on the body of the wearer by means of an effective fastening device, such as the lacing 4.

As seen in Figures 3 and l, the band comprises a basic or main layer 5 of fabric such as silk, rayon or any other suitable cloth or material for the purpose. Another layer or cover 6 of similar or other suitable fabric is secured to layer 5, as by sewing along edge portions and along lines indicated by the rows of stitching I. Between the fabric layers 5 and 6 are buoyant elements or units, as 8, which are held in spaced relation on or as a part of the bands I or 2, by the parallel rows of stitching 'l.

The buoyancy unit comprises a'hollow tube 8 of rubber, preferably thin latex, or other suitable waterproof material which is elastic and flexible. A core or filling 9 of kapok or other suitable buoyant material is confined in the hollow tube 8 and maintained in dry condition by securely closing or sealing the ends Ill of said tube.

A garment, whether of the brassire type or girdle type or combination thereof such as above described provides a substantial volume of buoyant material distributed in such a manner as to be effective as a safety device and yet to be capable of embodiment in apparel of good appearance. Thus, with the long buoyancy units arranged at the middle or front portion of the band and the short ones at the laced ends or back portion, greater buoyancy is afforded at the front when the band is in place. This minimizes the possibility of a wearer being held face down in the water. The fabric of the bands I and 2 or portions thereof, will preferably be cut on the bias to provide desired fullness and flexibility wherever required. The elongated tubular buoyancy units or elements, as 8, are freely bendable so that they will conform readily to body contours and therefore contribute to the attractive appearance of the garment when in use. As shown in Figure l, the band or brassiere I may also be provided with a strap H by which the band I is supported in part over the neck of the wearer.

It is contemplated that apparel embodying the structural features above described may be made in attractive designs and in various colors and may be used as an adjunct of swimming or bath ing without being too conspicuous and yet affording an extra margin of safety particularly in the case of unskilled or inexperienced swimmers. Other advantages are that such a garment will retain its buoyant characteristics after being soaked and that the fabric portion may be dried out in about the same time as might be required for a bathing suit of similar material.

I claim:

Buoyant apparel comprising a body encircling band of fabric cut on the bias and having a relatively Wide middle portiontarranged and adapted to engage and conform to contours of front parts of the body when the band is in place on the wearer and end portions narrower than said middle portion, means for securing said end portions together at the back of the wearer, and a plurality of substantially equi-spaced flexible water proof buoyant elements arranged on said band in parallel relation, some thereof at said middle portion having the greatest length and others at 10 

